God’s Will and the Coming of Jesus
I’m a dreamer. I don’t mean in the sense that I have great, perhaps somewhat unrealistic, ideas or plans for the future (though that might be the case as well). What I mean is that when I go to sleep at night I almost always dream. I usually have some vague remembrance of my dreams when I awake though that fades fairly quickly. My dreams are of the normal kind—I’m often falling from something, being chased by something, finding myself in uncomfortable situations, in the middle of weird conversations, and the like. I think I dream in color, but I’m not sure.
One thing I’ve learned is not to take my dreams too seriously. Once in a while I’ll move through the early part of my day a bit shell-shocked by queasy feelings left over from my night’s dreaming, but usually I am able to brush off any residual effects of my over-active, nocturnal mind. But, for sure, I am grateful that I do not have to count on my dreams to tell me what is true in this world.
There are people who take their dreams very seriously, who believe God communicates with them through their dreams, or at least that He guides and directs through their dreams. And, in our Genesis text for this week, chapter 28, God does indeed speak to Jacob through a dream. We can quickly come up with other biblical characters who were directed by visions and dreams—Isaiah, Daniel, Joseph, and others. But, I am grateful that we now are on the other side of the coming of Jesus Christ.
The author of Hebrews begins his letter by telling us that the revelation of God’s will in and through Jesus Christ is far, far superior to any other way God might speak to us. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1-2). As valuable as dreams, visions, special insights, etc. might be, nothing compares with the fact that God has spoken to us in Jesus Christ. He is the perfect representation of the Father, the radiance of His glory (Hebrews 1:3)! No longer must we try to decipher what the Lord would have us believe, do, or feel from mystical feelings or vague visions—for now we have the full revelation of His will for us in the Bible, the testament of Christ.
Theologians talk about “progressive revelation,” meaning that God progressively, bit by bit, reveals more and more of His redemptive plan to us throughout the biblical era. What Moses knew was more than what was revealed to Abraham; David more than Joshua; the later prophets building on what was shown to the earlier ones. And, this progressive revelation culminates in the teaching, the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus our Lord. Here we see the fullness of what our God in Heaven desires for us to know about His salvation. In Christ we have the totality, the completeness of divine revelation: “In Christ all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). When we need to hear from God, we listen to Jesus.
So, what do we do with the dreams of Jacob in Genesis 28? What do we do with our own dreams or with friends/family who look to dreams and visions for insight into the divine revelation? In everything and always, we look to Christ Jesus! How do we know God’s will for our lives? Look not to me or the world or visions or fantasies… but come to the Lord Jesus, the Word of God.
And, come, so that we might live everyday “to the praise of His glory!”
As you prepare for worship this Sunday, read Genesis 28:10-22.
1. Beersheba is where Abraham and Isaac set up their home.
What concerns might we have by the way verse 10 is phrased?
2. Notice in verse 11 that “a certain place” is unnamed
(later a name is given). Why do you think this is vague and unspecific here?
Might there be a lesson to be learned here?
3. The stone which Jacob uses as a pillow is obviously
important here—why is that?
4. In the dream, Jacob sees a ladder with angels moving up
and down on it. Why would the angels be moving on the ladder? What would moving
down imply? What about moving up?
5. In verse 13-15, God reiterates the promises that He has
given to Abraham and Isaac about a place to dwell, many descendants, and
blessings for all nations. But, BUT, God adds important things here. What is
added in this description of the promise that was lacking before?
6. Given Jacob’s character, and his departure from
Beersheba, why is it important that God adds to the promise?
7. Look at Jacob’s response to the dream. What does he do in
light of what has been revealed in the dream? If, as in the above writing, God
speaks to us today through the Bible’s witness to Jesus Christ, how should
Jacob’s response parallel our own?
